Augmented reality as a pre-practice pedagogical tool in children’s motor skill learning: a theoretical systematic review for physical education and swimming instruction
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v80.119371Keywords:
Augmented reality, motor skill learning, physical education, swimming instruction, children, theoretical systematic reviewAbstract
Background: Augmented reality (AR) has increasingly been used in education, yet its role in children’s motor skill learning remains insufficiently theorized. In physical education and swimming instruction, children must understand movement sequences, body orientation, timing, breathing, and coordination before performing skills in real practice settings. Therefore, AR should be examined not only as a digital innovation, but also as a pre-practice pedagogical tool that supports movement understanding before physical execution.
Objective: This theoretical systematic review synthesizes existing literature on AR in children’s motor skill learning, physical education, and swimming instruction to develop a conceptual framework explaining how AR supports pre-practice learning.
Methods: Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, relevant studies published between 2014 and 2026 were identified from Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, SPORTDiscus, PubMed, and Google Scholar. Thematic synthesis was applied to identify the pedagogical mechanisms through which AR supports movement learning.
Results: Five cross-cutting themes emerged: AR as visual-motor representation, cognitive scaffolding, cognitive load regulation, motivational readiness, and embodied transfer from digital visualization to physical execution. These themes form the proposed AR-Based Pre-Practice Pedagogical Continuum, which positions AR as a bridge between seeing, understanding, readiness, and doing.
Conclusions: AR should be understood as a pedagogical support system rather than a replacement for physical practice, teacher feedback, or embodied movement experience. In swimming instruction, AR may help children prepare for complex technical components before entering the pool. Future research should test this framework through experimental designs, retention assessment, and transfer-based evaluation.
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